Kyle Busch to miss Daytona 500 with leg injury

Kyle Busch, center, is taken to an ambulance on a stretcher after he was involved in a multi-car crash during the Xfinity series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, in Daytona Beach, Fla.
John Raoux
AP

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.

Kyle Busch will miss Sunday’s Daytona 500 after suffering a right leg injury in a nasty crash in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

A NASCAR spokesman said Busch suffered a "right leg injury" and would be unable to participate in Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series opener.

Although no official decision was released immediately, sources said Joe Gibbs Racing had tapped two-time Truck series champion Matt Crafton to substitute for Busch in its No. 18 Toyota on Sunday.

During a wild, 10-car wreck on Lap 112 of 120, Busch’s car was sent through the infield grass and slammed nose-first into a retaining wall along the frontstretch that was not covered by energy-absorbing SAFER barriers.

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"What happened tonight should not have happened. That’s on us and we’re going to fix it immediately," he said.

O’Donnell said NASCAR would accelerate talks with other tracks to make the sport as safe as possible.

Since their debut many drivers have called for the use of SAFER barriers throughout every track and those sentiments began to be repeated began almost immediately after Busch’s wreck on Saturday.

"I think we’re to the point now in NASCAR we should have SAFER barriers at a place like this, we’re going so fast. I think we could possibly afford it," said driver Ty Dillon, who finished third in Saturday’s Alert Today Florida 300.

Ryan Reed, who was diagnosed with Type I diabetes four years ago, powered by then-leader Brad Keselowski on the final of 120 laps to win Saturday’s race, his first in the series.